Partitioning



Nov. 12, 1935. c GODDARD 2,020,502

PARTITIONING Filed April 13, 1929 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 WITNESSES INVENTOR: fllum Gflvddam;

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ATTORNEYS;

Nov. 12,1935. A. c. GODDARD 2,020,562

PARTITIONING Filed April 15, 1929 a Sheets-Sheet 2 @g w v WITNESSES IN V EN TOR:

Npv. 12, 1935. A Q GODDARD I 2,020,502

PARTITIONING Filed April 15, 1929 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR: fill/1'22 Cit voldard,

ATTORNEYS,

Nov. 12, 1935. I A. c GODDARD 2,020,502 Q PARTITIONING Filed April 13, 1929 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 FZGEMT Z6 WITNESSES 53 V/ 79 55 INVENTOR.-

' ATTORNEYS.

Nov. 12, 1935. A. GODDARD PARTITIONING Filed m 1929 GSheets-Sh 6 IN VENTOR: g0 I' BY I WITNESS T TTO S- Patented Nov. 12, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE PARTITIONING Application April 13, 1929, Serial No. 354,735 7 21 Claims. (01. 189-34) This invention relates to partitioning, and especially sectional partitioning, consisting of more or less standard units that can be variously assembled and set up,according to the varying requirements or exigencies of each particular job. The aim of the invention is to provide a simple, strong, and aesthetically pleasing construction of this character, consisting of sections that can be manufactured in quantity at comparatively low cost, and can be easily, rapidly, and cheaply installed. How these and other advantages can be realized will appear from the description hereinafter of a form of sheet metal construction conveniently embodying the invention.

In the drawings, Fig, I is a side elevation of a partition construction embodying the invention, with one part removed and omitted.

' Fig. II is a side elevation of one of the standard unit sections shown in Fig. I, portions being broken out and omitted to reduce the .height of the figure, and certain parts being in vertical midsection.

Figs. III, IV, and V show vertical sections through various parts of-the structure, taken as indicated by the lines and arrows III-III, IV-IV and V-V in Fig. I.

Fig. Va is a fragmentary vertical section take like Fig. V, but on a larger scale.

Fig. VI shows a horizontal section through 30 some of the parts at the left of Fig. I, taken as indicated by the line and arrows VI-,VI in Fig. I. Fig. VII shows a similar horizontal section taken as indicated by the 'line and arrows VII-VII in Fig. I, and illustrating the construc- 5 tion at a threeway post.

Fig. VIIa is a fragmentary section taken like Fig. VII, but showing a difference in construction.

Fig. VIII is a perspective view of the construction at the foot of one of the posts, one of the 0 parts composing the post being shown as removed from the rest and turned to a different position. Fig. IX is a side view of some of the parts shown in Fig. VIH from the'left of that figure, with certain parts in vertical section.

Fig. X is a perspective view of the parts composing one of the clamps employed to unite the post sections as shown in Figs. I and VI.

Fig. is a perspective view of one of the post parts, illustrating one of the plinths shown in Fig. I.

Fig. XE! is a view of the parts shown in Fig.

XI, the plinth being detached and turned to .a difierent position.

55 Xm is a ial s cti n s mi ar to Fi VI and VII, illustrating the construction at a four-way post. i

Fig. XIV shows a horizontal section similar to Fig. XIII, illustrating the construction at a corner post. i 5

Fig. XV shows a vertical longitudinal section through the cornice and the adjacent portions of two unit sections, taken as indicated by the line xv-xv in Fig. IV.

Figs. XVI and XVII are detailed views of some 1.0 of the parts involved in the interconnection of adjacent lengths of cornice.

Fig. XVIII shows a vertical section through the cornice and associated parts at the junction orv splice of two lengths of cornice. 15

Fig. I shows a partition installation comprising two ordinary unit sections 29, 20 (Figs. I and 11) a door section 2| interposed between them; an upright filler 22 (Figs. I and III) extending from the left hand unit section 20 to an adjacent wall; 20 a cornice 23 common to the unit sections 20, 20

2| and the upright filler 22; and a'superjacent horizontal filler 24 (Figs. I and III-V). The unit sections 20, 20, and 2| may be standardized in dimensions and construction, so as to be eco- 25 nomically manufactured in quantity. Preferably, the horizontal and vertical dimensions of all such unit sections will be identical. The vertical and horizontal'fillers 22 and 24 may be more or less special,made to measure for each particular job. The vertical filler 22 thus takes care of spaces of odd length, which could not be exactly filled by any member of standard sections 20, 2 I, while the horizontal filler 24 takes care of variations in head room.

structurally, the various parts forming the partition installation are held erect and in position by vertical uprights 25 at the junctions of adjacent unit sections, extending from the floor 26 to, the cornice 23. As will be seen from Figs. I, VI, VII, V111, and IX, these uprights are provided in pairs 25, 25 in each instance; are of channel section, arranged (in each pair) 'to face with their flanges toward one another; and are interconnected (and at the same time spaced apart) by a suitable number of clips or clamps 28. To close the space between the uprights 25, 25 of each pair and conceal the clamps 28, there may be provided a couple of channel-like cover plates 29, 29, removably mounted and secured in place as hereinafter described.

While each pair of the uprights 25, 25 (interconnected by the clamps 28 as above described) coact with the covers 29, 29 to form what is in appearance and effect a single post 30 when the installation is complete, yet these posts 30 have no existence apart from the adjacent unit sections 20, 20 with which they are associated: in other words, they are -not initially separate, independent structures. On the contrary, the uprights 25, 25 of each post 30 are in reality parts of the adjacent unit sections 20, 20 as these sections are assembled at the factory and shipped to the job. Accordingly, as shown in Fig. II, each of the unit sections 20 consists of two channel uprights 25, 25 facing away from one another and interconnected by the intermediate structure of the section unit,- comprising one or more horizontal members 3|, 32, 33, 34 and one or more panels 35, 36, 31 in the opening of the rectangular framework formed by the uprights and horizontals. The panels 35, 36, 31 may be of any suitable or preferred construction, which need not here be described. As shown in Fig. V, the two upper panels 35, 36 are glazed, while the lower panel 31 is filled by a plain sheet of metal. As here shown, the edges of the panels 35, 36, 31 fit in grooves in the edges of the uprights 25, 25 and in the horizontals 3|, 32, 33, 34: i. e., the web of each channel upright 25 is itself reversely channelled, to afford a groove, and the upper and lower edges of the horizontals are likewise channelled. As shown in Fig. VI, the upright end filler 22 is engaged in the groove of an adjacent upright 25, and secured by screw bolts through the upright and the edge of the filler. Preferably, the end filler 22 is made in two sheet metal halves 22a, 22a whose marginal flanges 22b, 22b are clamped in 'place in the groove of the upright 25 by rectangular pieces 220 which space the halves 22a, 22a apart and also serve as nu s for the screw bolts 22d. At the wall 22c, the filler pieces 22a, 22a lie at opposite sides of an upright piece 22] suitably fastened to the wall. As shown in Figs. II and III, each of the horizontals 3|, 32, 33, 34 has at each end one or more apertured tongues or lugs 38 projecting through an opening in the web of the corresponding .ipright 25. Suitable fastenings such as nails 39 may be inserted through the holes in the lugs 38, to secure the uprights 25, 25 to their ends. As shown in Fig. V, the uppermost horizontal 3| is an upward-facing channel similar in section to the uprights 25, 25 and the covers 29, 29; the intermediate horizontals 32, 33 (the latter of which serves as a chair rail) are round-cornered rectangular sheet metal tubes; and the lowermost horizontal 34 is a hollow rectangular'sheet metal structure (more fully described hereinafter) that serves as a base or baseboard. As shown in Fig. II, the end lugs 38 on the members 3| and 34 are formed by sheet metal strips welded to the upper sides of the groove bottoms of its channel webs; and the lugs 38 on each end of' each member 32, 33 are formed by the parallel legs of a U-bent sheet metal strip 40 welded to the inner sides of the bottoms of the grooves in these members.

.As shown in Fig. V, the base 34 comprises an upper part 43 of (inverted) U-bent or channelbent sheet metal, with rounded corners, having a reverse channel or groove in its web to receive a panel'edge as above described, and a lower part 45 adapted to rest on the floor and receive the legs 46 of the part 43 rather loosely. As shown in Figs. H. and IV, only the upper part 43 is secured to the uprights 25 by the lugs 38 and fastenings 39 as above described. (The lower part 45 is omitted from Fig. II) Thus the base 34 for each unit section is self-adjusting in width (so to term it), so as to compensate for inequalities in the floor 26. As shown in Figs. II and V, the part 43 is provided with an end plate 41, fitting within its edges and secured by upright angle clips 48 welded to said plate and to the sides of the part 43.

As shown in Fig. V, the lower part 45 has narrow vertical openings or chambers 56 to accommodate the legs 46 of the'part 43. To reduce friction and permit freer relative adjustment of the parts 43 and 45, the outersides of the openings 50 are recessed or undercut, so that practically the only frictional contact of the legs 46 with them is at their inner sides. It is this friction that holds the part 45 in place and prevents it from dropping off the part 43 before the unit section is installed. Preferably, the part 45 is itself made up of two parts: an outer sheet metal channel 5|, with inturned flanges 52 at the tops of its sides or legs, and an inverted inner sheet metal channel 53, with bevelled corners 54, and out-turned lower flanges 55. These flanges 55 engage the inner surfaces of the outer channel 5| and thus determine the positions of the inner walls of the chambers 50, 50 and their pressure on the legs 46 of the part 43. Preferably, the ends 56 of the sides of the part 5| project beyond those of the sides of the part 43 and overlap the uprights 25, as shown in Figs. I, IV, VI, etc.

As shown in Figs. II, IV, and V, there are hole. 51, 58 in the web of each upright 25 opposite the interiors of the members 33, 34, and corresponding holes 60, 6| in the mid-portions of the U- strips 40. Also (see Fig. XV), there is a hole 62 through the bottom of the hollow sheet metal cornice 23 into the interior of each post 30. Thus electric light wires, telephone wires, etc., can be freely run through any of the parts 23, 33, 34 ard up or down in any of the posts 36, as may be found convenient.

As already explained, each post 30 comprises two uprights 25, 25, interconnected and spaced apart by clips or clamps 28, but belonging to different sections or units of the partitioning, and also a couple of covers 29, 29. As shown in Figs. VI, VII, and VIII, each upright 25 is of channel section, with its web reversely channelled or grooved at 64 to take the edge of a panel, and with lateral projections -in the form of inturned marginal flanges 65. These flanges 65 afiord a secure grasp for the clips 28. Each cover 29 is of similar section, with web groove and inturned marginal flanges on the channel flanges,which latter, however, are of less width than those of the uprights 25. The cover flanges serve as a means of securing the cover to the clips 28, as hereinafter described. As shown in Figs. VI, VII, and X, each clip 28 comprises cooperating parts 66, 61 with a clamping bolt 68 through their midportions for drawing them tightly together on the flanges of the uprights 25. The part 66 has its ends transversely recessed, at 69, to afford seats for the flanges 65, while the part 61 has slight lateral projections 1| to engage against the outer sides of the channel flanges. The parts 66, 61 also have means of inter-engagement to prevent them from turning relative to one another, comprising lateral flanges 12 on the part 61 extending past the edges of the part 66. The part 61 has its ends slightly rounded at 13 so that the cover 29 may readily be sprung over them and secured'by engagement of its flanges behind the inclined shoulders afforded by the rounding. The elasticity of the sheet metal of the cover 29 allows this quite readily.

The parts 66, 61 may be formed ofsheet' *Iections H and the rounded ends 13. The midportion of the part 61 is bent to a channel form, to afford the flanges 12. I

At the floor 26, the lower ends of the uprights 25, of each postare secured to a floor plate or foot 15 itself fastened to the floor by any suitable means, such as a lag screw or bolt 16. As shown in Figs. IV, VIII and IX, the foot 15 is of a box-like form, comprising a bottom resting on the floor. and anchorages 11, 11 of channel form upstanding from its ends, facing toward one another. The bottom has a cruciform reinforcement 18, with an elongated hole 19 through its center for the securing means 16. The foot 15 may consist of a sheet metal plate embossed upward to provide it with the reinforcement 18, and having its margins suitably cut and bent upward to form the channels 11, 11,- the bent-up portions being preferably welded at the box corners. As here shown, each channel web or box side (end) is apertured at 80 to take a stud bolt 8| fast to the end 41 of the base 34 and extending through the lower end of the upright 25, so as to fasten all of these parts securely to the foot 15. Theapertures 80 have the form of notches extending down from the upper edge of the channel web. The otherbox sides are shown widely notched at 82 right down to the box bottom. At these notches 82, the box bottom is extended outward in the form ofoblique-edged tongues 83 projecting beyond the box sides. Besides being secured to the foot 15 by the bolts M, the uprights 25, 25 are interlocked with it by engagement of their inward projecting flanges 65 behind the edges of the side notches -82,- -in other words, behind the flanges of the upstanding anchorage channels 11, 11.

In order that,the uprights 25 of all the unit sections 20, etc., may be supported at a uniform level notwithstanding inequalities of the floor 26, equalizers may be provided beneath these uprights,each here shown as consisting of oneor more sheet metal shims 85, according to the amount of uplift required in each case. As shown in Fig. VIII, each of these shims is"of rectangular outline, longer than the width of a notch 82 and having its ends notched at 86 to engage the edges of said notch 82. Thus the shim 85 is definitely and securely held in place, and extends under the edges of the inturned flanges 65 of the uprights 25 as well as under the main channel flanges of these uprights. Preferably, the shims 85 and the tongues 83 fall within the limits of the cover channels 29, so as to be completely concealed by them.

In architectural phraseology, each of the covem 29 may be regarded as an engaged column As already mentioned, Fig. VI illustrates the construction at the extreme left-hand column 30 of Fig. I. Fig. VII shows the construction at the next column 30 to the right, adjacent the door section 2|. As here shown, this door section comprises a couple of sheet metal stiles 96, 96 (see also Fig. I) secured to the adjacent uprights 25, 25 by screws 91, and the door 98 hinged to one of these stiles. These parts replace the two lower panels of this section: the

- construction above the door is similar to that of the unit sections 20, 20.

Fig. VH0. shows a jamb stile 960. that fits into the groove of the upright 25 and has flanges 96b, 96b extending toward one another. It is clamped in place by rectangular pieces 960 that difiers fromthe sections 20 already described in having a channel upright 25a corresponding to the opposite cover 29 in form, and similarly engaged with the post clips 28.

Fig. XIII shows a 4-way post construction, with two opposite unit sections 2011 like that of Fig.

Fig. XIV shows a 2-way corner post construction, with one unit section 20 likethat of Figs. U

II andVI, and one unit section 2011 like that of Fig. VII. Here one upright 25 has no panelling associated with it, and is provided with a plinth 90 such as already described.

As shown in Figs. III, IV, V, XV, XVI, XVII, and XVIII, the cornice 23 is in cross-section a one-piece sheet metal trough, with its bottom channeled or grooved at to stiifen it, and to take the upper end of the upright filler 22. This cornice 23 is secured to the upper end of each unit section 20 by stud bolts or screws I96 (Figs. IV and XV) which extend through longitudinal slots I91 in the cornice bottom and have their heads fastened in openings in the web of the uppermost horizontal member 3I. is also secured to the upper ends of the post uprights 25 by screw bolts I98 extending through holes in the cornice bottom and in angle clips orears 99 welded to the webs of the channel uprights (Fig. XV). washers I00 are provided for the bolts I96, I98. In Figs. III, IV, V, XV, XVI, and XVII, the horizontal ceiling filler 24 is shown as provided with a wood-filled molding I0l along its upper edge, to

be secured to the ceiling I02 if desired, and as engaged (and re sting) on supports I04 across the interior of the cornice23 at its top. The supports I04 may consist of short sections of inverted sheet metal channel with its flanges resting on internal ledges I05 along the sides of the cornice 23, and withthe inturned upper cornice flanges I06 overlapping its angles. As here shown, each support I 04 has a groove I01 across its center, formed by a downward fold of the sheet metal, and the -lower edge of the filler 24 is engaged in a supporting channel strip I08 that extends continu- The cornice 23 As shown in Fig. XV, dished ously from support to support in the grooves I01.

As shown in Fig. Va, the channel support I08 fits the lower margin of the filler 24 rather tightly, but flares upward to a fairly wide'opening to facilitate insertion of the filler. When the support I08 is placed in the grooves I01 of the supports I04, its outward extending flanges rest on the sup- ,ports I04 at either side of the grooves, as shown in Figs. III, IV, and V.

The cornice 23 will often have to be made in a plurality of abutting lengths. As shown in Figs.

V, XVI, XVII, and XVIII, adjacent cornice lengths are kept in alignment by a trough-like splice I I bridging their junction, approximately conforming to the interior of the cornice 23, and held in place by screws I I I that take into threaded holes in the cornice bottom. Provision is made for drawing the abutting cornice ends tightly together, by means of a bolt II5 extending through upturned ears I I6, I I8 on metal clamp strips III, II! secured to the cornice lengths by the screws III. Preferably, the splice H0 is divided longitudinally into two parts I Illa, I Illa which may be clamped down in the bottom of the cornice 23 by the plates III, which have downturned edges to engage near the corners of the splice pieces. As shown in Figs. V and XVI, each splice piece I IOa has an inclined surface or bevel at Us. This bevel IIOc coacts with the corner of the cornice channel 95 to force the splice piece IIIla out against the outer wall of the cornice when the screws III are finally tightened up, which may be done after the cornice lengths have been drawn together, as above described.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. A clip of the character described for interconnecting channel uprights which have lateral projections on their flanges, said clip comprising cooperating parts with recessed ends for gripping the channel flanges over said projections, one of said parts having engagement means for cooperating with the other part to prevent relative rotation of the parts, and means for clamping said parts together.

2. A clip of the character described for interconnecting channel uprights which have lateral projections on their flanges, said clip comprising a member with laterally open hooks for engaging over said projections, a channelled member containing the mid portion of the first member and cooperating to hold the said flange projections in said hooks, and a bolt through said members for clamping them together.

3. The combination with a foot comprising an upward open box with bottom secured to the floor and one pair of its upstanding sides notched substantially down to the bottom, of a post around the box comprising upright channels facing one another and having inward projections on the lower ends of their flanges engaged behind the edges of the aforesaid notches in the box sides.

4. The combination with a foot comprising an upward open box with bottom secured to the floor and one pair of its upstanding sides notched substantially down to the bottom, of a ,post around the box comprising upright channels facing one another with their flanges extending beyond the edges of the aforesaid side notches, and shims in said side notches extending beneath the channel flanges.

5. The combination with a foot comprising an upward open box with bottom secured to the floor and one pair of its upstanding sides notched substantially down to the bottom, of a post around the box comprising upright channels facing one another with their flanges extending beyond the edges of the aforesaid side notches, and a shim in each of said side notches extending beneath the corresponding channel flanges and/having its edges notched to engage the edges of said side notches.

6. A post foot of the character described, comprising an upward open sheet metal box with.

bottom adapted to rest on the floor and be secured thereto, and upstanding sides, one pair of said sides being apertured for the attachment of surrounding post structure, and the other pair of sides being each notched substantially down to the floor. 6

7. A post foot of the character described, comprising an upward open sheet metal box having its bottom embossed with stiifening cross-ribs and apertured for securing means to anchor it to the subjacent floor, and having one pair of its up- 10 standing sides notched substantially down to the bottom and the other pair also notched, for the attachment of surrounding post structure.

8. A post foot of the character described, comprising a floor plate with upstanding channels attached thereto and facing toward one another, and having their walls apertured for the attachment of the surrounding post structure.

9. A floor shim of the character described, adapted to extend beneath the bottom of a pair of channel uprights facing toward one another, and having its edges notched to engage the edges of upstanding anchorages engaged within said channels.

10. The combination with a butt-jointed cornice trough-like and a trough splice therein bridging the junction of the abutting cornice parts, of clamps in and above said'splice connected to the cornice parts, and means for drawing said clamps toward one another and thereby drawing the cornice parts together.

11. The combination with a butt-jointed cornice trough of an apertured trough-like splice therin bridging the junction of the abutting cornice parts and adjustable clamp means above the splice for drawing the parts together, bolted, to said parts through said openings in the splice.

12. In partition construction, a member having in combination, a half-post portion and a wall filler portion, a complementary half-post memher, a clip for maintaining said complementary half-post member in fixed spaced relationship to said half-post portion, and a pilaster cap covering the space between said half post portion and complementary half-post member and removably secured to said clip.

13. In partition construction, a channel shaped member having in combination a half-post portion and a wall filler portion, a half-post upright complementary to said half-post portion, a clip for maintaining said half-post upright in fixed spaced relationship to said half-post portion, clip engaging means on said half-post portion, and a pilaster cap covering the space between said half-post portion and complementary half-post member resiliently and removably secured to said clip.

14. In partition construction, a channel shaped member having in combination a half-post portion and a wall filler portion, a half-post upright complementary to said half-post portion, a clip for maintaining said half-post upright in fixed spaced relationship to said half-post portion, and a removable pilaster cap secured to said clip and covering the space between said half-post upright and half-post portion.

15. In partition construction, a' channel shaped member having in combination a half-post portion and a wall filler portion, a half-post upright complementary to said half-post portion, a spacer for maintaining said half-post upright in spaced relationship to said half-post portion, clips for maintaining said upright and half-post portion fixed in spaced relationship, and means for clamping and locking the spacer, clips, halt-post upright and half-post portion together.

16. In partition construction, a channel shaped member having in combination a half-post portion and wall filler portions, a half-post upright complementary to said half-post portion, a spacer for maintaining said half-post upright in spaced relationship to said half-post portion, clips for scribed including post members and a one piece channel shaped cornice member having the web portion thereof seated on said post-menibers and a panel receiving groove in said web portion, a

I reinforcing channel positioned within said cornice member, and a panel receiving groove in the web portion of said reinforcing channel.

18. An adjustable base of the character described, comprising an upper member of general channel shape with legs extending downwardly, and a lower member of general channel shape with slightly intumed free edges to engage said legs.

19. An adjustable base of the character described, comprising an upper member of general channel shape with legs extending downwardly, 5 a lower channel member with intumed flanges, and an inverted channel within said lower channel member cooperating to afford separate lateral spaces for the legs of the upper member.

20. A clip of the character described for interconnecting channel uprights which have lateral projections on their flanges, said clip comprising coperating parts one with recessed ends for gripping the channel flanges over said projections and the other part having end means for securing a cover plate, and means for clamping said parts together.

21. A clip of the character described for interconnecting channel uprights which have lateral projections on their flanges, said clip comprising a member with laterally open hooks for engaging over said projections, a cooperating member for holding the channel flange projections in said hooks and having end means for securing a cover plate, and means for clamping said members together.

ALVIN C. GODDARD. 

